What's a whole broiler, fryer, or roaster chicken? What's the difference?

I’ve been buying whole chickens from the farm for quite some time. I found out that this kind of chicken can actually have many names. I’ve always wondered, why are they called whole “fryer” or "roaster" or "broiler" chicken? So, I decided that it’s time to do some research.

It turns out that the name defines the size of the chicken. Here’s a breakdown.

• Broilers: Chickens 6 to 8 weeks old and weighing about 2 1/2 pounds
• Fryers: Chickens 6 to 8 weeks old and weighing 2 1/2 to 3 1/2 pounds
• Roasters: Chickens less than 8 months old and weighing 3 1/2 to 5 pounds
• Stewing Chickens: Chickens (usually hens) over 10 months old and weighing 5 to 7 pounds
• Capons: Castrated males that weigh 6 to 8 pounds
• Cock/Rooster: Male chickens over 10 months old weighing 6 to 8 pounds
  

So what about Miller's chickens? Our meat chickens usually grow for about 10-12 weeks and get to 4-6lb. This technically puts them in the “roasters” category. However, they are young roasters. Here on the farm, we'll refer to them as "broilers" or "fryers". I guess that's not quite accurate... but you know.

I like to use my whole chicken to make multiple days of meals. On the first day, I usually stuff my chicken with a chopped orange and rub the skin with ghee, salt, pepper, and paprika.Then, I roast it for a few hours in the oven while the delicious aroma of roasting chicken fills my house. 

The next day, I will pick the meat off the bones and make a hearty broth. I add the meat and some veggies like carrots, celery, and escarole into the broth to make a chicken soup. The next day, I strain out the solids and use them to make a chicken noodle casserole or chicken salad. I drink the broth or freeze it for later use.

The farmer says that chicken, especially chicken bone broth, is great for building the immune system. I wish you all the best of health this week!